Civic Leaders In 2 Cities Have Come Down With Covid-19

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, the cities of Worcester and Agawam announced that their chief leaders had tested positive for COVID-19.

In Worcester City, Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr., said he started feeling unwell on Tuesday, Dec. 8 and decided to self-quarantine even before learning he had indeed caught the disease.

About 20 people have been identified by the Worcester Division of Public Health as having been exposed to Augustus. The city is doing contact tracing. The exposed contacts are in quarantine, the city said.

“I want to assure people there have been no interruptions to the day-to-day functions of city government,” Augustus said in a statement.

Agawam Mayor Bill Sapelli said on Tuesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, Dec. 5, according to Western Mass News.

The Agawam Town Hall will be closed through the end of the week after a total of three people there tested positive for COVID-19.

If you or someone you know needs a COVID-19 test, visit the Massachusetts website for Stop the Spread to see where free testing is being done in your community.

For more information or guidance about COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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